Attachment for hammers



Nov. 18, 1924. 1,515,628

' A. SPERL ATTACHMENT. FOR HAMMERS Filed April 15,-1924 Y INVENTOR WM Mil/ 4 M A TTORNEY Patented Nov. 18,1924.

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ANDREW SPERL, OF GRAY, NEW YORK.

ATTACHMENT FOB HAMMERS.

'ApplicatioIi filed April 15, 1924. Serial No. 706,782.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1. ANDREW SPERL, a citizen of the United States, residing at village of Gray, in the county of Herkimer and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Attachments for Hammers. of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to an attachment for hammers, and I declare the following to be a full, clear, concise and exact description thereof suflicient to enable anyone skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the specification. I

' The object of the invention is to provide a device adapted to be attached to a hammer, whereby with one hand theuser can drive a staple sufficiently far into a post or other object until further and subsequent blows drive it home, while at the same time the user will have'the other hand free to grip and stretch or pull taut the wire mesh to be fastened to said post. Such a hammer will be found useful particularly in the construction of wire fences, as well as in building any structure where it is necessary to have one hand free to hold the post being fastened in place.

The object will be understood by referring to the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of, the attachment assembled to a hammer;

Fig. 2 is a detail view somewhat enlarged,

showing a perspective of the attachment;-

Fig. 3 is a detailed enlarged view showing a perspective of a metal member employed;

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of a plate used.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, an ordinary hammer having a handle 1 and head 2 is shown in Fig. 1. A metallic member 3 is attached to the head 2 of the hammer by screw bolts 4, 4 that are mounted in screw threaded bores in said head 2. Member 3 is equipped with countersunk apertures 5, 5 to allow the heads of bolts 4, 4 to fit flush with the outer surface of block 3. Member 3 has an open recess 10. The inner surfaces along the lateral edges of recess 10 are grooved, as at 11, 11, whereby to form guideways for the sliding movement of ribs, 12, 12 formed integral with jaw 13.

JawlS is adapted to co-operate with the inner end surfaces of member 3, which forms the complementary jaw 14, whereby to hold a staple l6 with'points extending outward in a lateral direction and at right angles to the side surface of the head of the hammer. Furthermore, and for this reason, the opposite inner sides of the recess 10 adjacent the inner endwall is rounded out in the form of a circle, in each instance, whereby to conform to the shape of the round shafts 15, 15 V of staple 16.

Jaw 13 is actuated to and from engaging position with staple 16 by a bell crank lever 20 whioh'is fulcrumed upon a headed shaft 21 that has a bearing in plate 22. A nut 23 is mounted upon the threaded end of headed shaft 21. The headed end fits into countersunk bore 24 in plate 22. Plate 22 is attached to the side of handle 1 of the hammer by two screws as 24 mounted to project through countersunk apertures25, 25 in plate 22 and into handle 1. 2

One end, of bell crank lever 20 is pivoted to theend of arm 24 by headed bolt 26. A nut 27 is mounted to the threaded end of bolt 26. The headed part of bolt 26 is countersunk in the end of bell crank lever 20. Arm 24 is enlarged laterally to form an offset portion and shoulder 31 which is adapted to limit the upward swing of the free end 32 of hell crank lever 20, whereby to prevent the withdrawal of jaw 13 from recess 10 of member 3. Bell crank lever 20 i form to the shape of the shaft and head of a wire nail, not shown, whereby said jaws 13 andi14 may be able to hold a nail, as well as a staple 16 if desired.

The operation of the device is effected by actuating the free end 32 of bell crank lever 20 upward with the finger, while the other fingers and thumb of the same hand grasp handle 1 of the hammer. This movement of lever 20 will cause jaw 13 to move away from jaw 14 and, thereby, allow for the insertion of the head or connecting part of a staple 16 or nail, between said jaws 13 and 14. The user will press then downward on end 32 of lever 20, whereby to actuate jaw 13 towards jaw 14, to thereby grip and hold in a firm manner, staple 16 in vertical position with its points outermost. The user can now with the same hand that is grasping handle 1 drive staple 16 into the fence post not shown, while with the other hand, the user is free to use it in stretching or pulling the wire mesh, not shown, in taut position along the post. J aw 13 can be withdrawn thereafter from counterjaw 14:, whereby to release staple 16 by actuating end 32 of lever 20 with the finger. V V r Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In an attachment for hammers, a stationary jaw to be fastened to the side of a hammer having a handle, a movable jaw adapted to slide in said first named jaw, said jaws being grooved to retain a staple, a bell crank adapted to be fastened to the handle of the hammer and connected with said sliding jaw for actuating the same into and out of gripping relation.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

ANDREW SPERL; 

